Stitch-transferring device for knitting-machines.



L. N. D. WILLIAMS.

STlTCH TRANSFERRING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACMNES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1% 1916- Patented Jan. 2, 191?.

3 SHEETS SHEET 2 INVENTOR LOUI5N D,W|LLIHM5 BY ms nrroanev L. N. D. WILLIAMS.

SUTCH T RANSFERRING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLscmoH mm) mm. H. 1916.

3 Patented Jan. 2,11

3 SHEE'I'SSHEET IN v ENTOR LQUIS ND-WILUHP'IS Byms nw-i-ormey UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STITCH-TRANSFERRIN G DEVICE FOR IKN'I'JPIIIll'G:-IIt!I At(JHINI:lS

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed March 17, 1916. Serial No. 84,771.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Louis N. D. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing in ()gontz, Pennsylvania, have invented certam Improvements in Stitell-Transferring Devices for Knitting-ltlachines, of which the followi'hg is a specification. My invention relates to mechanism for use in connection with that method of uniting the opposite halves of a knitted web"wh1ch consists in first engaging stitches around the web with a set of stitch-engaging points, then doubling onehalf of the web over upon the other half, and then uniting the doubled stitches around the latter half of the web, my invention having for its object the engagemeut of the stitch-receiving points with the stitches of the web and the removal oi said points, with the web upon them, from the machine which produced it, without material arrest of the knitting operation. This obj'ect I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. in \\hich Figures 1, 2 and 3 are ecct-ional vicws of sullicient of an ordinary circular knitting machine, provided with a wch transferring device cmistructcd in accordancc with my invention, to illustrate lhc succcssiustages in the removal of thc wch thcrcl'roln, and

Fig. =1 is a similar scclional \icw illusvti ab in;, another form of web trausltm' ing dcvicc in accordance with |n v p.m'-ntion.

In order to prcvcnta-oilt'usion no atlcnipt has been made to show in the d|.'a\\ in; the stitches-in the distant portion of the knitted web, the latter beingrepresented as a close web which hides everything behind it.

In the drawing, 1 irepresents the nccdlc cylinder of the machine, 2 the needles, 3 the ring carrying the cams whereby reciprocation of said needles is effected, 4 the web holders, 5 the ring in which the web holders are mounted so as to be reciprocable radially, 6 the ring carrying the cams whereby such radial reciprocating motion is imparted to the web holders, and 7 a yarn guide movable into and out of feeding relation with the needles 2. y

The machine may, as illustrated in the drawing, be one of that type in which the needle cylinder 1 and web holder guide ring 5 are rotatable and the cam ring 3 and web holder cam ring 6 are stationary, or it may be a machine of the reverse type, in which the needle cylinder 1 and web holder guide rin 5 are stationary and the cam ring 3 an web holder actuating ring 6 are rotatable.

Within the needle cylinder 1, and free to move vertically therein, is a cylinder 8, upon the upper end of which is mounted a transfer point carrier 9 having a circular series of stitch-engaging points 10, said point carrier being, if desired, normally retained in its proper position at the upper cud of the cylinder 8 by means of any suitable form of spring catch 11.

Below the cylinder 1 of the machine is fixedly supported a ring 13 having a spring bolt 14, which may be caused to engage either with a groove 15 in the lower portion of the cylinder 8 or with a groove 16 in the upper portion of the same.

J During the normal operation of the ma-;

chinc the cylinder S and the point carrier 1) occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, the uppcr ends of thc stitch-engaging points 10 being" bclow the top of the needle cylinder and bct'wccn thc inwardly projecting stems f thc wcb holders. so that said points will not intcrl'crc with thc frcc delivery of the knitted wcl; ovcr said stems and down through tlucentral opening of the point carricr. When a sullicicnt length of web has llt'tll knitted the cvlinder S and point carricr l arc raised so as to engage the points with thc stitches of a course of said Web, prcl'crably with those of a course preceding that upon the needles. and at the same time the terminal course is cast olf of the ace l dlcs. the web holders are retracted and relaincd in the detracted position, st) as to free thcm from engagement with the we and the yarn gi'fiiTln is raised to nomfeedi [i0- sitio'n in respect to the needlese'as shown in Fig. 2, thc knitting yarn being at thesame timc severed, if desired. The" stitch engagin g points with the web upone them are then lowered through the cylinder of the machine by drawing down the cyli er 8 until the latter is engaged and hel by the spring bolt 14-, as shown in Fig. 8, whereupon the point carrier ca be releajed from the cylinder 8 and re 'oved threfromfor application to a stitch doubling and looping device. As soon as the point carrier has been lowered so as to carry the, points 10 below the top of the needle cylinden the web holders may be restored to action and the yarn feedin device 7 may be restored to feeding position, as shown in Fig. 8, the

knitting operation being, thus resumed without any material break in its continuity. After the point carrier has been removed from the cylinder H another point carrier can be readily applied thereto and the cylinder and point carrier can be raised to the position shown in l ig. 1, ready for the rell'ltH'lll of another web from the machine as soon as the knitting of such web has been completed.

ln som cases, especially in connection with stationary cylinder machines, the point holder, after the points have engaged the stitches, may be permitted to descend at the same rate that the web is being produced, until said points are below the cylinder, whereupon that portion of the web which is engaged by the points may he severed from the web above it. This mode of open ation is preferable when the stitch engag ing! points are applied to the web from above. as shown in Fig. 1-. instead of from below as in Fig. 2. The point-ring maybe continuous or it may consist of two semiannular segments, and in the latter case the segmelits may he hinged together, if desired, as shown for instance in Fig. 4, so as to permit ofielialf oi the stitch carrying points to be turned over into registiy with the other half.

Although I have shown my invention as applied to a circular knitting machine and although it will usually be employed in connection with a machine of this type, its use is not limited thereto.

The transfer points and the stitches of the web are, for of illustration, shown as of a much conit r gage than they would be in practice.

I claim:

1. The combination of the needle carrier of a knitting machine with a transfer point carrier removable downwardly through said needle carrier with the web upon it, and means for freeing said web from the needles.

2. The combination of the needle carrier of a knitting machine with a transfer point carrier contained within said needle carrier and removable downwardly through the same, said point carrier having its points so disposed as to engage stitches of a course preceding that upon the needles, and means for freeing said terminal course from said needles.

3. The combination of the needle carrier of a knitting machine, a transfer point carrier removable downwardly through said needle carrier, :1 raising and lowering device upon which said transfer point carrier is mounted, and means for detachably (fiancee in; said point carrier to said raising and lowering device.

4. The combination of the needle cylinder of a knitting machinc,*a7 transfer point carrier removable do\\'m\'ard.ly through sai-l needle cylinder, :1 raising and lowering: de vice upon which said transfer point carrier is mounted, and means for detachably eonneeting said point carrier to said ra sin and lowering device.

i 5. The combination of the needlecairn-r of a knitting machine, a transfer point. ring: carrier removable downwardly through aid needle carrier, a raising and lo\\'e-rin1 device upon which said pointring carrier ir mounted, and means for supporting said raising and lowering sition.

O. The combination of the needle carrier of a knitting machine, a. transfer point car rier removable downwardly through said needle carrier, a raising and lowering! de' vice upon which said point ring carrier is mounted, and means for supporting said raising and lowering device both in its raised and. lowered positions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS N. n. WILLIAMS,

Witnesses KATE A. BEAiJLn, HAauUroN D. TURNER.

device in its raised po- 

